The human knee joint is stabilized within the interior cavity of the knee joint by the anterior cruciate ligament and the posterior cruciate ligament. In the case of a twisting trauma of the knee joint, these ligaments are very often overstretched until a rupture or tear occurs. In this context, the anterior cruciate ligament is affected approximately nine times more frequently than the posterior cruciate ligament. All attempts at conservative therapy or experiments with stitching the anterior cruciate ligament are associated with considerable problems. Accordingly, in the case of a persistent instability of the injured knee joint, the anterior cruciate ligament is removed according to the prior art, and the stability of the knee joint is restored using a transplant made of tendon material, either of patellar tendon, semitendinous tendon, or quadriceps tendon. One disadvantage of this method is that the latter ligament structure is avital; that is to say, it no longer provides any sensitivity and begins to lose stability again over time.
The published German patent specification DE 38 03 208 A1 describes a device for reconstruction surgery, wherein the anterior cruciate ligament in the human knee joint is permanently restored. In this context, the tibia bone is stabilized relative to the femur, and a full range of movement is restored to the knee by inserting a replacement ligament within the knee joint through precise local attachment of the ends and of the angular position in such a manner that, in the event of a movement of the knee joint, the replacement ligament experiences no change in length (isometric movement) or that the change in length of the replacement ligament corresponds to the physiometric movement of a natural ligament. The disadvantage with this device is that the anterior cruciate ligament in the human knee joint is permanently restored by a replacement ligament, which also comprises a transplant. Accordingly, the injured, natural ligament is permanently removed from the knee joint, and the artificial, replacement ligament takes over its function, only inadequately.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,702,422 describes a method for the repair of tearing and ruptures of an anterior cruciate ligament of a human knee, wherein the ligament is reconnected to its anatomical insertion in the gap between the two condyles of the femur bone by means of a pin for the wound suture. In this context, the healing of the insertion is accelerated by forming a recess in the spongiosa for the collection of blood.
The disadvantage of this method is that the wound suture is connected to the pin, so that a tension is permanently applied to the torn or ruptured ligament, and the healing ligament is longer than the original, healthy ligament and is, accordingly, impaired in its functionality.